Once More into the Depths of Hell
by DrowsyPoet
Summary: After Capricorn dies, his mother seeks immediate revenge on Mo, Meggie's mom, and Farid. This is the journey Meggie and Dustfinger make to rescue them from Dustfinger's point of view.


This isn't how it was supposed to happen. Meggie was to read The Shadow out of that cursed book, and we were all to go home; them to their world, and I to mine. I suppose I was foolish to believe that it would be that easy…I'm sure I've proved myself to be quite gullible to everyone. Farid is the only one who doesn't think me to be ignorant of everything. Of course Silver Tongue was quite nice to me, he never was one to be rude…I could still tell I nearly exasperated him with my desire to go home. I was…how did he put it? "Obsessed" with the thoughts of going home.

Hypocrite. He was just as obsessed with getting his wife back as I was about getting mine. Love can make you many things, mad being the one I've experienced the most. "Since when does a woman have such power over the heart she holds?" you may ask. My dear friend, it's always been that way, and it always shall be.

"I just don't understand." Meggie whispered into the night air. My head jerked up from its place in my hands.

"Well you're not the only one." I retorted, not bothering to play the role of the comforter. I was just as upset as she was…so why should I have to hold her in my arms and promise her everything was going to be alright? She read The Shadow out of the book, and it killed Capricorn and many of his men…but it wasn't enough...it's never enough. I stood and began pacing, trying to no prevail to fight the flashbacks from coming…

"Where is he?" she asked me in an accusing tone, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"How am I to know?" I snapped irritably

"You seemed to have known things and kept them to yourself for far too long now." She said in a hushed tone, the hurt apparent in her widened eyes. I sighed deeply.

"I keep forgetting how young you are Meggie" I told her sitting back down "You act beyond your years, and your intelligence passes them as well. But deep down…under the bookworm, under the fearless traveler, and under the tongue of silver…you're just a child.

Her eyes narrowed at my words, and then widened again, filling up with tears that I knew she was too proud to shed. She wiped furiously at her eyes and looked away from me.

"Since when are you so eloquent?" she asked me. I allowed a small smile to inhabit my face

"Dear child, surely you haven't thought of my act to be reality. I'm not quite as dumb as you all have made me out to be."

"Where is he?" she asked again, in a less confrontational tone. "I just…I want him back." I nodded at her again, understanding the urgency in finding her father…again. You see, the Magpie herself had survived The Shadow, and had sought out to destroy those who had caused the fall of her great son.

I spat on the ground in disgust as a response to my thoughts.

"I'm sure the Magpie seeks revenge on him for your actions." Her face flushed with anger and with guilt

"So this is my entire fault?" she asked harshly.

"No." I responded quickly "But never the less we have to do something. Capricorn had two more locations set up in this world…I say we try them both. I know that the wretched old bat will have your parents with her at one of the locations…probably Farid too." My heart felt constricted in my chest as I finally said it out loud. The witch had Farid…he was…he was like my son. Though I'd never admitted that to anyone…much less him.

"Well what are we waiting here for?" she said, quickly rising to her feet. "Let's go find them."

"How?" I asked her incredulously "There aren't any people for miles, and I can't drive any of the cars they left behind in their haste."

"No." she agreed with me "But I can." She set her jaw in determination, much like her father, and headed back in the direction towards the castle. "Coming?" she called over her shoulder. I stood sporting a devious grin, and slung my backpack over my shoulder. We were headed south, the stars told us that…but sadly, that's all they could tell us.

The air was cool as it caressed my scarred face, those blasted scars that would never be erased. My face was like a linen cloth forever wrinkled. It would never be even, never be straight, **never** be handsome. But at least I've come to terms with it.

As I caught up with Meggie I cast a glance in her direction. Her eyes were swollen and let off a red hue, and I knew that she was crying silently. She tried to subtly wipe her eyes…but I could tell. I've always been able to tell.

"It's okay to cry you know" I said to her quietly, hoping I hadn't overstepped my boundaries.

"Oh what would you know?" she snapped at me "I've never seen you cry."

"There's nothing I care enough to cry about in this world" I told her bluntly. She stopped walking and turned to face me. I felt her gaze follow along the lines on…well **in** my face.

"What about Farid?" she asked me evenly "I can tell you love him." I smiled at her observation

"What's not to love?" I asked her "He adores me."

"Wrongfully so." She countered "You don't care about anything this world."

"I may not care for anything in this world," I told her "but there are some people in this world I care a great deal about." She shook her head aggressively and rolled her eyes.

"Look at it this way." I said taking a step closer to her. "When someone you love is in danger you can do two things…mourn for them, cry, and carry one." I raised an eyebrow slightly "**Or…**" she sniffed back a few more tears and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Or?" She asked me impatiently. I smiled at her slightly, not wanting to mock her by letting out an amused chuckle at her juvenile body language.

"Or you can get of your backside and do something about it." She nodded

"In that case, we'd better go." I nodded my agreement, and we began walking again at a slow and steady pace. Once more into the depths of hell.


End file.
